We’ve just spent three brilliant days with Mike and Suzanne Longhurst, the couple from whom we are buying the llamas. As part of the deal, they said we could come to stay on their farm in the Allier region of central France for some intensive training in llama care/training/breeding.
Mike and Sue spent some years raising llamas in Wales before moving to France about three years ago. Unfortunately, Sue had an accident recently which means that they have to give up their farm and the Clydesdale horses and llamas they have been breeding. This was the sad reason why we were able to buy some their best llamas as our starter herd. As soon as the house and farm sale is completed in late April, they will be off to Spain (or Bulgaria, or somewhere else – it seems to have changed a lot in the short time we have known them! Another thing that has changed is Mike and Sue are likely to be keeping on some llamas – I hope so, because it’s clear that they mean an awful lot to them.)
Mike put us through a rigorous curriculum of training – but we seemed to progress rather faster than he had expected. He soon came to the conclusion that we are ‘naturals’ for llama farming – and who are we to disagree with such compliments 🙂
In no time at all, we were putting halters on the llamas (well on Duc and Valentine, the tamest, best trained ones!)
and taking them off on walks around the farm.
I’m getting more and more enthusiastic about this new life. Our llamas are such characters – and I have no doubt that we shall find them endlessly fascinating and rewarding. They also show quite a lot of interest in us!
By the end of our stay, we had loads more confidence, and were even having a go at walking Pedro (the stud male).
Many thanks to Mike and Sue, who we hope will be our friends for many years to come.
